Villalbilla Community: A municipal energy community on the roofs of two state schools

Villalbilla Community

A municipal energy community on the roofs of two state schools

Villalbilla energy community: a state school now shares solar energy with its neighbours

Since 5 May 2026, the energy from the solar panels at CEIP Gregorio Canella, the first rooftop of the municipal energy community of Villalbilla (Madrid), has been reaching the residents taking part. In the first bills analysed by Comunidad Solar, savings range from 23% to 44%.

  • What it is: a municipal energy community with solar panels on two state schools, whose energy is shared among participating residents without their having to put panels on their own roofs.
  • Where: in Villalbilla (Madrid), on Gregorio Canella Primary School (215 panels, 130.08 kWp) and Salvador Dalí Primary School in Los Hueros (207 panels, 125.24 kWp planned).
  • With whom: Villalbilla Town Council and Comunidad Solar, which develops and manages the community; the company was co-founded by Eugenio García-Calderón Huerta, founder of Light Humanity.
  • How to take part: by buying panels at €710 each, including VAT, if you live less than 5 km from the roofs.
  • Outcome: the first roof has been sharing energy since May 2026 and 84.6% of the 422 panels are already taken.
  • What's next: switching on energy sharing at Salvador Dalí, already inspected by the distribution company, and filling the 65 panels still available on 6 November 2026.
Solar panels drawn over an aerial view of Gregorio Canella Primary School in Villalbilla
Layout of the plant at Gregorio Canella Primary School over an aerial view of the school, as shown on the community's page. Image: Comunidad Solar
Aerial view of Salvador Dalí Primary School in Los Hueros, with the solar panels drawn on top
Layout of the plant at Salvador Dalí Primary School in Los Hueros, over an aerial view. Image: Comunidad Solar
Presentation of the Villalbilla energy community to residents in the municipal assembly hall
Presentation to residents, 24 January 2025. Photo: Villalbilla Town Council
Leaflets on the benefits of joining the Villalbilla Energy Community, at the presentation
Leaflets from the presentation on 24 January 2025. Photo: Villalbilla Town Council

December 2024: Villalbilla and Comunidad Solar agree to create a local energy community

On 13 December 2024, Villalbilla Town Council announced a partnership agreement with Comunidad Solar, the company Eugenio García-Calderón Huerta co-founded in late 2018 (Energías Renovables), to create a local energy community. Residents who joined would be able to generate and consume their own renewable energy using solar panels on municipal buildings.

  • Waiting list: this was the first phase; the council estimated capacity for 93 families, with places limited.
  • Close to the roofs: at that time, participants had to live less than 2 km from them; Comunidad Solar's current page gives a radius of 5 km.
  • Advertised benefits: energy “76% cheaper”, according to the council, lower investment through sharing costs among residents, and a positive environmental impact (El Resurgir de Madrid).

How the energy community works: panels on a public roof and energy on your bill

Diagram from the Villalbilla energy community poster showing the three steps to take part
The three steps of the model, on the poster the council used to present the community in December 2024. Image: Villalbilla Town Council and Comunidad Solar

The poster circulated by the council summed up the model in three steps. The Comunidad Solar page adds today's prices and rules.

  • 1. Buy panels: residents buy solar panels installed on public roofs; today each one costs €710, including VAT.
  • 2. Join the energy retailer: participants switch to Comunidad Solar's energy retailer, which brings that output to their bill.
  • 3. Energy at €0/kWh: according to the poster, each resident receives “their energy at €0/kWh for 25 years”.
  • A notional panel: no physical panel is assigned; the energy is shared among participants using allocation coefficients, as set out in the contract.

More savings during sunlight hours

Savings grow if you use electricity while the sun is shining. Comunidad Solar advises running the washing machine or dishwasher, or charging the car, while the installation is generating.

January 2025: more than 200 households show interest in the community's 93 places

The contracting phase began on 21 January 2025 (Villalbilla Town Council). Each household could find its home on Comunidad Solar's map, work out how many panels it needed and how much it would save, and sign up on the same website.

24 January 2025: presentation at Villalbilla Town Hall

  • Friday 24th, at 18:00: an open presentation in the town hall's assembly room, with “a great turnout”, according to the council.
  • Vanessa Aguilar, councillor for Environmental Protection, highlighted the municipality's commitment to sustainability (Villalbilla Town Council).
  • Questions from the floor: residents raised their queries and a team of energy advisers answered them in person.
  • First reservations: several of those attending reserved panels during the event (Comunidad Solar).
Selfie from the stage with Villalbilla residents at the presentation of their energy community
The assembly hall during the presentation on 24 January 2025. Photo: Comunidad Solar
A speaker on stage at the presentation of the energy community at Villalbilla Town Hall
From the stage, speakers explained how energy communities work and the savings they bring. Photo: Villalbilla Town Council
Residents talking in the assembly hall of Villalbilla Town Hall during the presentation
Energy advisers answered questions in person and several of those attending reserved panels on the spot. Photo: Comunidad Solar

2025: solar panels at Gregorio Canella Primary School, legalised before Christmas

Installation at Gregorio Canella Primary School began in late June 2025 and finished on 20 October, according to the project diary published by Comunidad Solar.

  • Inspection passed: the installation passed the review of an Authorised Inspection Body (OCA), according to the diary entry for 9 December 2025.
  • Legalised: on 23 December 2025, the plant was legalised and approved by the distribution company, pending the final certificate and the generation meter (project diary).
  • Salvador Dalí Primary School: work began during the 2025 Christmas holidays, so as not to interfere with lessons (project diary).

Since May 2026: shared energy and savings of 23% to 44% on the first bills

Energy from Gregorio Canella began reaching residents' supplies on 5 May 2026. The distribution company's official readings took about three months to show up, but the first complete bills now make it possible to put figures on it, says Comunidad Solar.

  • Real bills: “These are not estimates: they are real results”, the company stresses of those first savings.
  • It depends on each home: its consumption, the solar capacity allocated to it and how well it makes use of sunlight hours.
  • Output: the roof generated 19,726.79 kWh in August and 15,027.86 kWh in September, falling as autumn set in (project diary).
“The energy is flowing. The savings have begun.” — Comunidad Solar (At last: shared energy reaches Villalbilla and Nuevo Baztán)

What's next: switching on Salvador Dalí Primary School and filling the 65 available panels

  • Salvador Dalí: by late July 2026, the distribution company had inspected the installation and confirmed it was properly built; on 8 October it accepted for processing the application to switch on energy sharing (project diary).
  • Available panels: on 6 November 2026, 65 of the 422 panels remained (84.6% occupancy): 57 at Gregorio Canella and 8 at Salvador Dalí; sign-ups were still open (Comunidad Solar page).
  • Also in Nuevo Baztán: the municipal warehouse of the Nuevo Baztán Community began supplying energy to its first members between late July and August 2026.
  • No roof nearby: the same company offers remote self-consumption, with panels at distant solar parks such as the Mazarrón Solar Community (Antena 3 Noticias).

For Comunidad Solar, Villalbilla and Nuevo Baztán are a reminder that the energy transition is also built “municipality by municipality, roof by roof and bill by bill”.

In the media